‘Boy Kills World’ Is Absolutely Outrageous For All The Right Reasons
‘Boy Kills Word’ Is Bonkers!
Written by Nikhil Mohan
Courtesy of Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions
Produced by Sam Raimi and directed by the industry’s latest visionary Moritz Mohr, comes the most unusual, bombastic, yet sincere film of the year. For some, ‘Boy Kills World’ could be seen as almost too intoxicating to sit through. But I disagree. Though this film is filled with exhilarating, high-octane action, it also has a personal undertone that many action films seem to be missing.
Bill Skarsgård evidently got in phenomenal shape, as his character Boy is highly trained and seeks to avenge his murdered family. Straight forward, right? Not quite. The truth is, no matter how you perceive this film going in, it will subvert your expectations entirely — whether that be good or bad.
The film is carried by Skarsgård’s gripping physical performance and hilarious internal monologue, as Boy is deaf but lets his imagination run wild. His internal voice, which frequently delivers both sarcastic and hilarious comments throughout, is provided by H. Jon Benjamin — known for his animated work on TV shows such as Bob’s Burgers and Archer.
As we become infused with his headspace, we’re introduced to our antagonist’s number two; June 27, played by Jessica Rothe. She’s a perfect match in physicality and emotional range for Bill Skarsgård to play off.
The editing by Lucian Barnard is nothing short of impeccable for a complex, batshit action film. Every moment has its necessary place and the story unfolds as naturally as it should. There’s no fat on this film.
Action aside, the strongest points in this film come from the two central performances by Rothe and Skarsgård, as we come to understand both protagonist and antagonist in deeper ways than initially expected.
With strong comic book influences, Mohr’s project can best be compared to the aesthetics of ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ meets ‘Kill Bill’ meets ‘Kick-Ass.’ In other words, the movie is bonkers!
That being said, the frequent flashbacks to fill the gaps in Boy’s story could prove to be disorienting to some, though each one provides information that progresses our character in the present.
As we move into the final act, the tone shifts from a comedy-action to a drama-action, and the mood turns into a more serious outing. It feels justified due to the nature of Boy’s realizations, but others may be negatively impacted by too much of a tone swing.
This film is very much a video game, comic book, and bizzare action-fantasy come to life — and it’s entirely original.
‘Boy Kills World’ is a fantastic directorial debut by Moritz Mohr, and that’s a name to look out for in the future.
Our score: ★★★★
(out of 5 stars)
“Boy Kills World” specifics: A fever dream action film that follows Boy, a deaf person with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.
CREW: Director: Moritz Mohr | Screenplay: Tyler Burton Smith, Arend Remmers | Cinematography: Peter Matjasko | Editor: Lucian Barnard | Music: Ludvig Forssell.
STARRING: Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, Famke Janssen, Sharlto Copley, Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Andrew Koji.
PRODUCTION: Nthibah Pictures, Hammerstone Studios, Raimi Productions, Vertigo Entertainment.
2023 - Action/Thriller - 1h 51m
Daisy Ridley Shines in ‘Sometimes I Think about Dying’
Daisy Ridley Shines in This Bleak, Nuanced Piece
Courtesy of Point Productions, Saks Picture Company, Oscilloscope Laboratories
After the mixed trilogy that Daisy Ridley found herself in with Star Wars (sequels), she’s invested time in smaller budget films and honed her craft as an actress. This no more apparent than her gripping performance in ‘Sometimes I Think About Dying.’
A nuanced piece with a lot of office small-talk (everyone’s worst nightmare), Ridley’s character, Fran, struggles internally in this increasingly irritated environment, and often thinks about dying (no pun intended). The actress carries the film on her back as she quite masterfully conveys, through a nuanced performance, the complexities of human nature, human emotion, and the human condition.
The bleak landscape of Oregon combined with the claustrophobic cinematography by Dustin Lane amplifies the growing tensions our protagonist faces — especially when her world is turned upside-down with the arrival of a new colleague. This energetic and overly-friendly new colleague is played by comedian Dave Merheje, as he finds an interest in Fran and wants to develop a deeper connection with her. This is the section of the film where Daisy Ridley shines, as the power in her performance comes from her restraint.
Director Rachel Lambert puts her passion on full display with each scene; whether it’s a roaring party full of drama enthusiasts or Fran struggling to convey her thoughts to the person she desperately wants to open up to, it feels like every shot is meticulously set up to create a sense of sorrow and frustration. This makes getting into the protagonist’s psyche authentic and simple.
Something I appreciate from Lambert is not showing us the background of Fran. More often than not, filmmakers would leap into a flashback or have someone display a vomit-amount of exposition about the character’s past. But not Lambert — she knows what’s important to show, why she’s showing it, and how it’ll come across to the audience. We’re very much living in-the-moment with Fran (Daisy Ridley).
This film is a great addition to the many underrated gems of 2023 releases.
Our score: ★★★★
(out of 5 stars)
“Sometimes I Think About Dying” specifics: Fran, who likes to think about dying, makes the new guy at work laugh, which leads to dating and more. Now the only thing standing in their way is Fran herself.
CREW: Director: Rachel Lambert | Screenplay: Kevin Armento, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Katy Wright-Mead | Cinematography: Dustin Lane | Editor: Ryan Kendrick | Music: Dabney Morris.
STARRING: Daisy Ridley, Dave Merheje, Parvesh Cheena, Marcia DeBonis, Megan Stalter.
PRODUCTION: Point Productions | Saks Picture Company | Oscilloscope Laboratories
2023 - Romance/Drama/Comedy - 1h 34m
‘Dune: Part Two’ Is What Cinema Needed
‘Dune: Part Two’ Is An Undisputed Modern Masterpiece
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment
As a direct sequel to the first instalment, ‘Dune: Part Two’ builds on the meditative groundwork of the first film by elevating it’s themes, spectacular visuals, and delivering an awe-inspiring piece of cinema — and dare I say it; one of the best sequels ever.
Denis Villeneuve continues to prove is masterful expertise within his craft, and creates grander yet more thought-provoking films with each outing. Yes, the cinematography by Greig Fraser is his best work and provides the best visuals of the decade, but it never interferes or takes away from the story at hand — that of a boy determined to avenge his father, even if it means becoming a false profit at the demise of an entire culture.
Hans Zimmer’s score is out of this world. He, much like Villeneuve, elevates his work and explores uncharted territory with Part Two. The first film contained an ambient and sweeping soundscape integrated with an epically unique score. While Part Two includes the same, Zimmer also goes full metal, and simply does not hold back his creativity. He lets monstrous Harkonnen themes rattle the theatre while dialling it down to help convey tender moments between Paul and Chani — with a soft and more melodic (but somehow extraordinarily epic) score.
The actors flex the very heights of their abilities; from Javier Bardem’s frantic fanaticism to Rebecca Ferguson’s menacing gazes, Josh Brolin’s intensity to Florence Pugh’s softness, Zendaya’s heartbreaking expressions to Timothée Chalamet’s fierceness, Charlotte Rampling’s toughness to Austin Butler’s horrifying vulnerability — it’s simply astonishing to watch.
Greig Fraser’s cinematography takes your breath away once the extreme wide shots come into play, which help amplify the impact of the Arrakis desert. On the flip side, Giedi Prime’s artificial landscape is masterfully shot with infrared camera which successfully delivers the fake-ness of the Harkonnen world (and under the ‘glorious black sun’ no-less).
As far as a complete cinematic experience goes, this is what you want when you go to the theatre. It’s pure, unfiltered magic for the senses to behold. From the awe-inspiring visuals, powerful themes and performances, bone-shaking score, and full-scale utilization of the IMAX screen in front of you, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is nothing short of a masterpiece and will surely be considered one of the greatest achievements of filmmaking in the 21st century.
Our score: ★★★★★
(out of 5 stars)
“Dune: Part Two” specifics: Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
CREW: Director: Denis Villeneuve | Screenplay: Denis Villeneuve & Jon Spaihts | Cinematography: Greig Fraser | Editor: Joe Walker | Music: Hans Zimmer
STARRING: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem.
PRODUCTION: Warner Bros. Pictures | Legendary Entertainment
2024 - Sci-fi/Adventure - 2h 46m
